Yosakoi started in the city of Kochi in 1954, as a modern rendition of Awa Odori, a traditional summer dance. As of 2005, Yosakoi-style dancing had spread throughout much of Japan.
In June of 2006, the Tatsumaki Yosakoi, Japanese Yosakoi Dance Club, from Kansas State University traveled to Hokkaido, Japan, in June of 2006 to participate in the large Yosakoi festival there. With more than 43,000 dancers and 370-plus teams, the K-State Yosakoi Dance Group was awarded a special “Performance Award”.